The Last Hurdle
by akaeve
Summary: The usual, a love triangle leads to a Marine death, written for the Random Dialogue challenge on NFA


_Sorry it's just that I get very nervous when someone else is driving."_

 _"What do you remember about your mother?"_

 _"But you said you didn't see your wife at all that day?_

 _"If we both stick to the same story they can't prove anything,"_

 **The Last Hurdle**

"Grab your gear, dead Marine, Quantico," Gibbs shouted across the bullpen at his team.

"Oh I love a trip to Quantico," Tony muttered to Ziva, "But I'm driving," as Gibbs threw a set of keys at the pair, only for Ziva to catch, smile sweetly and run for the elevator.

"So you and me again Boss?"

"Yep, you got a problem with that?" as he strolled to the now open elevator door.

"Nope just asking," Tim sighed.

-oOo-

Ziva had always loved driving, it got rid of a lot of pent up frustrations, but she smiled as she saw Tony's hands tighten and the knuckles go white.

"You OK Tony?" she laughed.

"Who taught you to drive anyway?" Tony asked.

"I did," Ziva replied.

"Sorry it's just that I get very nervous when someone else is driving" he replied.

"Maybe this is why Gibbs does not like to be in the same car as me. We have the same driving moves."

"I would say yes…a death wish. I remember when you were taking your dad and the Director to that safe house, Vance was not impressed with your driving."

"We got there didn't we," as she pulled into Quantico and did a hand-break turn.

They saw the car containing Gibbs and Tim pull up alongside.

"Pleasant journey, Tony?" Tim asked smiling, looking down at Tony's now pink knuckles the colour returning.

"Yes, just Ziva can be a bit of a show off," as they now followed Gibbs and Ziva to the house.

Doctor Mallard and Jimmy arrived within minutes and joined the four.

"Well Jethro looks quite easy to deduce. Gunshot wound to the chest. Time of death would be approximately an hour ago," as he looked at the body lying on the kitchen floor.

"You can say all that without examining the body?" Ziva ventured, "That is remarkable."

"Not really, Dr Mallard overheard two neighbours talking to a LEO, they said that they heard three shots and someone knock the garbage bins in their garden over as they jumped the fence, about an hour ago…and I mean someone jumping a fence…not them jumping the fence," Jimmy tried to explain getting all tongue tied.

"Quite Mr Palmer, but Jethro all I see is one wound to the chest, but then I won't know for sure until I get the poor girl home. If you, Mr Palmer and Anthony could assist me please, to the truck," as he indicated at the body. "Now if you will excuse me I have work to do," as he turned and followed the boys to the truck.

"Ok what you waiting for?" Gibbs asked looking at Tony and Tim, "The neighbours…now."

As the two made for the door a child of about 8 almost knocked them down.

"Mommy," as the girl looked about, "Where's mommy?"

"I'm sorry, Jasmine Mitor, I am the childminder, I collect Lily from school and look after her until her father finishes. He's a teacher at the high school."

Gibbs looked at the woman, "You'd better come in. You say you look after Lily after school, but her mother is home on leave at the moment isn't she? So why are you still looking after her?"

"Toyah…she is actually still on active duty. She's at the Marine Corps Brig. I mean she is a Military Policewoman."

Gibbs nodded and wrote in his book.

"How did Lily know her mom was missing?" Gibbs began to ask.

"It was actually one of the M.P.'s who came to tell me," as they now heard a car screeetch to a halt and a man run to the house.

"Cliff," Jasmine cried.

"Sir, you are the husband?" Gibbs questioned.

"Yes, what's happened, where's my wife?" was all Cliff could say.

"Sir, I'm afraid your wife is dead."

"Dead, I was told there was an accident but dead…where's Lily?" as Cliff looked about.

"I asked Agent David to take her to her room; I assure you she is still there. If you could sit down, I need to ask you a few questions," Gibbs began to say.

"When did you last see your wife," he began to as the now seated Cliff.

"This morning she was late in… night shift we had breakfast…well coffee and I kissed her goodbye… said I would see her tonight…we were going to McDonalds with Lily after school. I took Lily over to Jasmine so she could take to school."

"So how or why has the childminder now picked Lily up?" he continued, looking at Jasmine.

"Cliff, asked if I could pick Lily up from school as Toyah was going to have a long sleep after her night shift but the two of them would collect her, after he finished work and he'd collected Toyah," came the reply.

Gibbs wasn't sure, there was something just not ringing true, he needed to have the pair down at the Navy Yard for further questions,

-oOo-

Gibbs had asked that the pair be put in one room as he said there wasn't a separate interview room vacant. The team looked through the two way glass at the pair.

"What do you remember about your mother?" Ziva asked Tony, thinking of Lily.

"She was blonde, young," as Tony began to think his eyes moistening and he became quiet. "I think sometimes I should have been a better son, but then at that age you are only learning to be a person."

"But you said you didn't see your wife at all that day?" Jasmine now whispered to Cliff, "You said that the reason you brought Lily over was because you had to get to school early and Toyah wasn't home."

"If we both stick to the same story they can't prove anything," Cliff said to her.

They fell silent when they heard the words; Gibbs looked at Ziva and indicated she follow before turning and striding out the room.

"Rule#1, just got broken I think," Tony whispered to Tim as they looked through the glass into the interrogation room, before Gibbs entered with Ziva.

"So what's the game?" Gibbs asked, as he now entered the room.

"I would like a lawyer," Cliff replied.

"And I would like the truth," as he looked at the mirror and indicated that the boys now do their job and ask some questions.

-oOo-

"Gonna tell us what happened?" Gibbs snarled at Cliff.

"Told you. I want a lawyer."

"You kill her?" Tony asked.

"I want my lawyer," was all Cliff said.

Gibbs looked at Tony, rose and the pair left.

"What now Boss?"

Gibbs shrugged, "Let him stew, I'm going for coffee."

-oOo-

Over in interview room 2 Ziva and Tim were faring better.

"Want to tell us your side of the story?" Tim began to ask gently.

They watched as Jasmine looked down at the desk and then as she looked up tears in her eyes.

"Start when you want," Ziva said, looking at the woman.

"It was never supposed to be like this…come to this…" she sobbed. "Cliff said he would divorce her…he would get custody of Lily…Toyah never being home, her career came first."

"We need to find out some times. What time did Cliff drop Lily off this morning?"

"Early 7.30, it wasn't unusual if Toyah was working shifts…I would give Lily breakfast."

"What time does Cliff usually start at school?" Ziva questioned.

"He likes to get there for 8.00… get the class work organised, and sometimes he goes to the gym."

"He's quite fit then?" Tim asked, thinking how the neighbours had heard the bins going and someone jumping the fence.

"Yes, Cliff does marathons and was a hurdler in his younger days," Jasmine answered.

Tim and Ziva looked at each other, as Tim rose and mouthed Gibbs, Ziva nodded, and watched as Tim left.  
Tim found Gibbs and Tony watching Cliff through the mirror, and told them what Jasmine had said. Tony smiled as he watched Gibbs storm out the room. Tim watched as Gibbs thumped the desk.

"Truth now… Jasmine told us you run and were a hurdler. How long does it take to drive from the school to your house 20minutes? Plenty time to drive home kill your wife and get back to the school. What's the betting you even looked like you were out for a run at lunchtime?"

"I want my lawyer, but you still have to prove it," Cliff smirked.

There was a slight knock on the door it opened to reveal Ziva; Gibbs moved to speak to her.

"I know Gibbs, #rule 17, but local LEO's have found a gun in the trash bins behind the house. They brought it over and it is with Abby."

"Think he'd better get his lawyer," was all Gibbs could say.

-oOo-

Later that day as the team sat reflecting on the case and writing their reports. Cliff had confessed to killing Toyah. He really hadn't expected to get away with it but his lawyer said he would put in an insanity defence on behalf of his client.

"Murder is murder in my book," Gibbs had replied.

"True, but this was going to be the last hurdle in his troubled mind?" the lawyer replied.

 **The End.**


End file.
